Singapore Kindness Movement to spread message to homes, offices

Even though the idea of showing kindness is a simple one, organisers said it takes more than a catchy jingle to change the social habits of people.

A survey was conducted last December to find out how much weight Singaporeans gave to being kind and gracious, and how well they fared in each of these areas. The overall result was a mere 58 out of 100.

The survey also found that six in ten people, out of 500 respondents, were not too impressed with the level of social graces around them.

"As drivers, Singaporeans are rude — they take advantage, break the rules when they can, it’s a me—first attitude," one man said.

But surprisingly, most Singaporeans were not too upset over the behaviours of others in the food court. These include failing to return food trays and leaving tissue paper packets or umbrellas on seats to indicate that they have been taken.

One lady said: "’Choping’ seats with tissue paper is fine, especially in Raffles Place because everybody else is doing it — it’s like the culture here. Of course at times, it can be quite embarrassing to do that, but we really have no choice. We’re only given one hour for lunch!"

The Singapore Kindness Movement wants to get the young started on the courtesy drive.

Koh Poh Tiong, chairman, Singapore Kindness Movement, said: "We’re not perfect, but I’m an optimist. I’ve got full faith in Singaporeans. I think, generally, Singaporeans are a bit shy to be expressive.

"I noticed that when my son opened a door for a lady, some of his friends said, ’Why are you doing this?’. But if we can teach children at a very young age, it’ll become second nature to them."

The organisers hope that through celebrity ambassadors and public outreach initiatives this year, they can encourage more people to show kindness.